What’s a ‘Factory Farm?’ A Farmer’s Perspective

When you hear the words “factory farm,” what comes to mind? While some may think of confined animals, Katharine Nye, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, views it as an opportunity to share her family’s story when asked about her family’s farm.

Her family’s dairy has come a long way from when her great-great grandfather started milking four cows in New England; today the family owns 3,000 in Delta, Utah.

“I’ve been told that my family runs a factory farm, that with such large numbers of cows it’s impossible to be a family farm,” writes Nye in The Salt Lake Tribune. “Growing our herd has meant that more of my family can stay on the farm,” adding that larger farms help support the livelihood of more family members. It also means that the family can invest in technology that can improve how they care for their cows and how they take care of the environment, Nye added.